Ethanol is a choice ingredient, inter alia, in view of its solvent, astringent, and antiseptic properties for use in foods, pharmaceuticals or chemicals and, therefore, is of invaluable worth to the industrial community.
While most of the ethanol produced worldwide is used in the manufacture of various alcoholic beverages, as already suggested, ethanol is quite popular amongst the scientific and industrial communities as well. Used systemically, ethanol is a notable CNS depressant. In its denatured form, ethanol is used externally as an antiseptic, rubifacient and/or astringent. Similarly, industrial chemists use ethanol, principally in its denatured form, for its solvent properties or as an industrial fuel.
Another important reason for ethanol's continued importance as an industrial ingredient stems from its use in topical preparations and relates to the sensory attributes associated with its efficacy. These attributes are most commonly experienced when ethanol is used in the form of a rubbing alcohol, a mouthrinse, or a cough syrup. The primary sensory attributes ascribed to ethanol may be described with respect to the perceived location of the sensation. Topical sensations experienced, e.g., in the oral cavity (or upon skin) include those described as a bite/burn(ing), numbness, and tingling type of sensation while those shared by the nasal cavity are perceived as a sweet, aromatic, and cooling type of sensation.
Considering the commercial importance of compositions which tend to signal efficacy (actual and/or perceived), the advantages to developing compositions which add such a commercially appealing dimension become obvious.
The present inventors have unexpectedly discovered such a composition. Specifically, they have discovered a composition comprising a number of distinct compounds combined in such a way so as to provide the sensory attributes of ethanol without actually incorporating ethanol.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a compositions which provide physiologic sensations similar to ethanol. It is further an object of the present invention to provide an ethanol substitute suitable for use in oral compositions such as mouthrinses, pharmaceutical compositions, and in other topical skin care compositions such as cosmetics, lotions and the like. Still a further object of the present invention is to provide compositions which when combined with suitable pharmacologic actives reduce and/or abate plaque, gingivitis, and symptoms associated with respiratory disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, and allergies.